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The count of reserved seats for Indigenous council members on New Zealand councils is set to be cut by more than half, following a controversial legislative amendment that required local governments to put the fate of hard-won Indigenous wards to a popular referendum.

Historical Context on Indigenous Representation

Indigenous electoral districts, which may have one or more elected officials depending on local population numbers, were created in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the option to vote for a assured Indigenous council member in local and regional authorities. Originally, councils could only create a Māori ward by initially putting it to a public vote in their region. Communities frequently spent years generating community backing and urging their local governments to establish Indigenous representation.

Legislative Shifts and Administrative Decisions

To address this concern, the previous Labour government permitted local councils to set up a Indigenous seat without first requiring them to put it to a public vote.

But in 2024, the right-wing coalition government reversed the change, saying local residents ought to determine whether to establish Māori wards.

Referendum Results

The coalition’s law change required local authorities that had established a electoral district under the previous policy to conduct decisive public votes alongside the local body elections, which ended on October 11. Of 42 councils taking part in the referendum, 17 voted to retain their wards, and 25 to disestablish theirs – revealing many regions opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

These outcomes represented “a crucial move in restoring community self-determination.”

Opposition parties however have condemned the new policy as “racist” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the coalition government has implemented sweeping rollbacks to policies designed to enhance Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. Officials has said it wants to end “race-based” policies, and says it is dedicated to enhancing results for Māori and every citizen.

Geographical Splits

The results of the referendums were divided down urban-rural lines – most cities required to vote backed Indigenous seats, while countryside areas skewed heavily towards removing them.

“It's unfortunate for the Indigenous seats that had only just come in – they’re only just starting to hit their stride.”

Electoral Participation and Criticism

The recent local government elections recorded the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with under one-third of eligible voters participating, prompting demands for reform.

This approach had been “a farce”.

Comparative Treatment

Local governments are permitted to establish other types of wards – such as rural wards – without initially mandating a public vote. The different conditions placed on Māori wards suggested the administration was targeting Māori representation.

“Ultimately, they were unsuccessful. Many communities have given the government a middle finger response.”

This remark concerned the 17 regions that chose to keep their seats.